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<h1>
    Laos Traveller - Festivals</h1>

    <label id="testurllbl" title="Current">@mylabel</label>
    <div class="festivals"; style="width: 700px; float:left;">
    <br />
    <p>
        <b>January</b></p>
    <br />
    <p>
       <strong>Bun Pha Wet</strong> is the temple festival people will exchange invitations
        to friends, neighbors and family to join their celebrations. This festival is a
        commemoration of the Jataka, the life story of Lord Buddha as Prince Vestsantara
        so temples considered auspicious time for ordination day. This is a favoured time
        for Lao males to be ordained into the monkhood.
    </p>
    <br />
    <br />
    <br />
    <p>
        <b>February</b>
    </p>
    <br />
    <p>
    <img alt="" class="magnify" height="162" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5219/5519562348_11e2c02c32.jpg" width="194" style="float:right;"/>
        <strong>Marha Puha</strong> is an interest festival celebrated by buddhists in Laos
        / Thailand on the night of the full moon. This day is a public holiday in Thailand
        and Laos &amp; go to the temple to perform merit-making activities. Celebrated most
        fervently in Vientiane and at the Khmer ruins of Wat Phu, near Champasak province.
        The festival is marked by grand parades of candle-bearing worshippers circling their
        local temples, merit-making, and much religious music and chanting.<br />
        <br />
    </p>
    <p>
        <b>Vietnamese Tet Festival &amp; Chinese New Year Celebrated</b> in Vientiane, Pakse
        and Savannakhet is the biggest event of the year. This time for friends, families
        and loved ones to come together, it is also a time to pay respects to deceased ancestors.
        Many people celebrate with a hung of meal and fireworks displays which take place
        in most major towns and cities. Most shops close their businesses at least one day
        over the holiday period.<br />
        <br />
    </p>
    <p>
        <b>Sikhotabong Festival</b> is religious festival and held at Sikhottabong stupa
        from 5 - 8 February every year, located about 6 km south of Thakhek. it was built
        in the 8-10th centuries by King Nanthasene. The ruins of stupa was restored as its
        original design in the 1950&#39;s.<br />
        <br />
    </p>
    <p>
        <b>Wat Phu Festival</b> is a interest festival of Laos, organized annually in Champasak
        from 5 - 8 February. Wat Phu is in Champasak. Festivities are buffaloes fighting,
        elephants racing, cocks fighting and performances of Lao traditional music and dance.
        The trade showcasing the cheap price of products from the southern province of Laos,
        Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.
    </p>
    <br />
    <p>
        <b>March</b>
    </p>
    <br />
    <p>
        <b>Boun Khoun Khao or Khoun Lan (Rice Ceremony)</b> This is a harvest festival held
        at Songkhon district in Savannakhet Province. Basi ceremony is performed to give
        thanks for the land .
    </p>
    <br />
    <p>
        <b>April</b>
    </p>
    <br />
    <p>
    <img alt="" class="magnify" height="142" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3551/3803117454_c4aab6dbff.jpg" width="194" style="float:right;"/>
        <b>Boun Pimai (Pimai Lao)</b> is the most important annual festivals, especially
        in Luang Prabang. It lasts several days, starting from 13-15 April. That day water
        will be thrown among the people in a spirit of fun and goodwill. Also dancing, traditional
        singing &amp; a beauty contest with the crowning of Miss Pimai.</p>
    <br />
    <br />
    <br />
    <p>
        <b>May</b>
    </p>
    <br />
    
    <p>
        <b>Boun Bangfai (Rocket Festival)</b> is held at the beginning of the rainy season.
        Bangfai is a rocket made from Large bamboo are built and decorated by monks. Different
        communities compete for the best decorated and the highest traveling rocket and
        who will design failed rockets are thrown in the mud, songs and dances. This dramatic
        festival lasts 2 days and also celebrated in north east Thailand.
    </p>
    <br />
    <p>
        <b>June &amp; July</b>
    </p>
    <br />
    <p>
        <b>Children&#39;s Day </b>is 1st June is a Laos Public Holiday.<br />
        <br />
    </p>
    <p>
    <img alt="" class="magnify" height="142" src="http://www.laos-guide-999.com/image-files/boun-kao-phansa1.jpg" width="194" style="float:right;"/>
        <b>Khao Phansao </b>beginning of the traditional 3 month during which Buddhist monks
        are expected to station themselves in a single monastery. Other time they are travel
        from the countryside, but during the rainy season they avoid to travel so as not
        to damage fields of rice or other crops. This months is a special time for ordination
        and for men to enter the monkhood for short periods before they marry.
    </p>
    <br />
    <p>
        <b>August</b>
    </p>
    <br />
    <p>
        <b>Haw Khao Padap Din </b>starting in the middle of the rainy season. Khao Padabdin
        festival is held in commemoration of dead ancestors. Over 2 days Buddhist devotees
        flock to the wats carrying silver trays of offerings for monks and deceased ancestors.
        Music is traditionally performed in the grounds of the wat while people make their
        donations.<br />
        <br />
    </p>
    <p>
        <b>Boat Racing Festival</b> held in Luang Prabang from 17 - 18 Aug. This festival
        includes boat racing on the Nam Khane River and a trade fair in Luang Prabang. At
        the Khao Salak ceremony day, people visit local temples to make offering to the
        dead as well to share merits making.
    </p>
    <br />
    <p>
        <b>September</b>
    </p>
    <br />
    <p>
    <img alt="" class="magnify" height="142" src="http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/5546326.jpg" width="194" style="float:right;"/>
        <b>Boun Ok Phansa </b>is the end of buddhist lent and the faithful take offerings
        to the temple and it mean is end of the rainy season. Boat races take place on the
        Mekong river with crews of more men and women. Before the race small decorated rafts
        are set afloat on the river.    <br />    <br />
    </p>
    <p>
        <b>Boat Racing Festival</b> is held in Sebangfai river on 2 Sept in every year.
        At the same occasion a trade fair of farming products, local handicrafts, traditional
        Lao music and dance performance at the same time, citizens donate the offering to
        the dead in to share merits.
    </p>
    <br />
    <p>
        <b>October</b>
    </p>
    <br />
    <p>
        <b>Awk Phansao (Awk Watsa) </b>similar to the Thai celebrates that call Loy Krathong,
        this celebrates on the day of the full moon. Monks are at last permitted to leave
        the temple and are presented with robes. One particularly beautiful &amp; people
        gather at the nearest body of water to release dozens of small banana-leaf boats
        decorated with candles, incense and small flowers.<br />
        <br />
    </p>
    <p>
        <b>Bun Nam (Water Festival)</b> The water festival held during kao Pansa in riverside
        towns such as Vientiane, Luang Prabang and Savannakhet, the highly competitive Bun
        Nam boat races (suang heua) are held during the same time as Awk Phansaa.<br />
        <br />
    </p>
    <p>
        <b>Boat Racing Festival</b> held in 2 - 3 Oct in Vientiane. The water festival held
        during k Pansa is spectacular on the first day donations and offerings to temples
        around the city. In the evening candlelight processions are held around the temples
        and hundred of colorful flosta decorated with flower. A popular and exciting boat
        racing competition is held on the Mekong.
    </p>
    <br />
    <p>
        <b>November</b>
    </p>
    <br />
    <p>
        <b>Boun That Luang </b>celebrated at many temples and stupas around the country,
        this festival is traditionally centered and most ardently and colorfully at That
        Luang in Vientiane. Fairs, beauty contests, music and fireworks take place throughout
        the week of the full moon, and end with a candlelight procession around the temple.<br />
        <br />
    </p>
    <p>
        <b>That Luang Festival (Full Moon)</b> is held in That Luang, Vientiane. Hundreds
        of monks assemble to receive alms and floral votive early in the morning on the
        first day of the festival. There is a colorful procession between Wat Si Muang &amp;
        Pha That Luang. The celebration lasts a week and includes fireworks and music, culminating
        in a candlelit curcumabulation.
    </p>
    <br />
    <p>
        <b>December</b>
    </p>
    <br />
    <p>
        <b>Hmong New Year in Oudomxay, Xieng Khouang, Luang Prabang and Vientiane Province
        </b>is held between middle December - January. The Hmong New Year celebration features
        colorful displays of traditional costumes made from green, red and white silk and
        ornate silver jewelry. Music from traditional Hmong instruments such as the Hmong-style
        khene pipe and teun-flute.</p>
</div>
